Currently, there are two major projects on rabies in this section: 1) pathogenesis and immunology of chronic rabies, and 2) evaluation of the significance of rabies virus antibodies in serums of man (unvaccinated) and wild and domestic animals. Our concept of the pathogenesis of chronic rabies and other chronic viral infection of the central nervous system (CNS) envisions a constant monitoring of the CNS by relatively small numbers of lymphocytes, of which only about 1/10 are B cells. A very small fraction of those cells would have receptors for the specific viral antigen, but chance encounter between the appropriate B cell and the infectious focus would lead to proliferation (clone) and antibody formation. T cells (CMI and suppressor cells) are inhibited by virus and are unable to recognize the viral focus because of obscuring antibody. The possible origins of antibodies to rabies virus in unvaccinated people and in wild animals are being investigated.